Dictionary

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Anglican

Anglicans form the family of Christians closely related to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Whilst tracing their inheritance back to Christ and the earliest Christians and to the ancient Roman Catholic church, the sixteenth century Reformation was a crucial moment for Anglicanism.

Baptism

Baptism involves declaring faith in God and being washed with water. It means being cleansed from sin, being united to Jesus Christ, receiving his Holy Spirit and becoming God’s children. Sometimes called ‘Christening’.

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Lectionary

A lectionary is a pattern for Bible readings for the Church year. This means that churches in the Church in Wales are able to use the same readings on any given day.

Lent

Lent is the six-week period leading up to Easter. It is a particular time to confess sin and to seek personal and collective renewal (a ‘springtime of the spirit’). Lent has a special focus on Jesus’s journey to the cross and prepares the Church to celebrate his resurrection.

Liturgy

Liturgy is a set form of words and action used for worship. In the Church in Wales (and many other churches) these forms follow the same pattern from one congregation to another. Most Anglican liturgies look back in some way to the Book of Common Prayer.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Church in Wales

The Church in Wales believes and proclaims the Good News of Jesus Christ. This is Good News, because it encourages each one of us to realise that God loves us, that he has gone out of his way to meet us in the person of his Son, in whom he accepts us as we are. He asks us to draw on his strength to live life to the full, and to bring healing to the world.

The Church in Wales is committed to safeguarding and to helping survivors of abuse. Find out more:

Visit our safeguarding page

The new Church in Wales Lectionary is available to order online from our publisher, Y Lolfa.

Order now!

Climate change

God’s Earth is crying out for our care and if we do not urgently limit greenhouse gas emissions and the destruction of species we will permanently disfigure our common home preventing billions of God’s children from flourishing. The Church in Wales recognises responsible stewardship of creation is integral to Christian discipleship.

Welsh language

The Welsh language is alive and well in the Church in Wales as Christians across the land worship, witness and serve God and their communities. Our hope is to continue to develop our provision so that our mission and ministry in Welsh may be strengthened and be given new opportunities to flourish.

The Church in Wales is part of the Anglican Communion

Visit: www.anglicancommunion.org

Prayer of the week

Collect 170 God our Father, who entrusted your only begotten Son to the care of an earthly mother that she might guide his first steps in the paths of faith and love: grant that we who revere the mother of our patron David may work to bring up a new generation in the fear and love of your name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be all honour and glory, now and for ever.
Non, Mam Dewi Sant ~ Non, Mother of David of Wales

Collect of the week

Collect 46 Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but fi rst he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
See this week's lectionary